Juan Carlos Barahona

Biography

Professor Juan Carlos Barahona is from Costa Rica. He obtained his Ph.D in Media, Arts and Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also has an MBA from INCAE Business School and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with emphasis on computer science from Universidad Internacional de las Américas, Costa Rica.

Professor Barahona is a former member of the Human Dynamics Group of MIT Media Lab, a scientific research group led by Professor Alex (Sandy) Pentland who is a renowned computer scientist and ranks among the most influential 100 individuals worldwide (Newsweek Magazine). He also served as Assistant Director for the Latin American Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development of INCAE. Also, he consulted with the World Bank on strategy development and business planning for the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor as well as on educational topics.

Barahona, Juan Carlos and Alex (Sandy) Pentland, Advice and Influence: The Flow of Advice and the Diffusion of Innovation, M.I.T. Media Laboratory Vision and Modeling Section No. 598, April, 2006. This paper was presented at the XXVI International Sunbelt Social Network Conference. Vancouver, British Columbia. April 24-30, 2006http://web.media.mit.edu/~barahona/main/publications/Advi...

Nature, People and Well-being: Coordinating Sustainable Development in Mesoamerica. 2003-2007 Business Plan, Strategic profile, business plan and project profiles used as base by The Central American Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development to produce, 2003http://www.ccad.ws/documentos/doc2002.php http://web.media.mit.edu/~barahona/main/publications/busi...

Barahona, Juan Carlos, The Central American Logistical Corridor as a mechanism for the reduction of Vulnerability, Presented in the First Hemispheric Conference on the Reduction of the Vulnerability of Commercial Corridors to Socio-Natural Threats. Mendoza, Argentina, March, 2001

Barahona, Juan Carlos, Costa Ricas Experience in Education, Presented at the International Seminar in Innovative Experiences in Social Policy and Social Management organized by the City Council of Family and Development, on August 28 and 29 of 1997 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1997

Barahona, Juan Carlos, Opportunities of the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise within the Framework of the Strategy for Competitiveness in Central America, Invited by the Guatemalan Vice-President. The lecture was delivered in the Seminar for Development Policies for the Micro-, Small and Medium-Sized enterprise., MYPYME 2, organized by the Federation of Guatemalan Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise. June 5 of 1997, Guatemala City, Guatemala., 1997

Barahona, Juan Carlos, Productivity, Human Resources Training and Educational Policy in the Globalization Framework, First National and Sub-Regional Forum on Science and Technology. National Council for Science and Technology of UNESCO-El Salvador. San Salvador, El Salvador, February 15-16, 1995

A Dialogue for Development, Fundación ANDE/INCAE/USAID. (Under cooperative agreement number 525-0309-a-00-2204-00 for Investment and export promotion). Based on a series of documents and reports from national workshops conducted by INCAE in Panama during 1994., 1994

Barahona, Juan Carlos, The Financial Sector In The Caribbean Basin: Recent Evolution And Prospects, Paper presented in the Financial Services Seminar for International Executives of the Loyola University Business School at New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, june 16-17, 1994

Barahona, Juan Carlos, Citizen Formation In The Era Of Sustainability, Paper presented in the National Workshop of Reflexion on Educational Computing Policy in Costa Rica.. August 18, 1994, Alajuela, Costa Rica., 1994

Work Experience

Assistant professor of INCAE Business School.

His general academic interest concentrates on the role of digital technologies and social structures in spreading ideas, behaviors, and devices.

Professor Barahona is a former member of the Human Dynamics Group of MIT Media Lab, a scientific research group led by Professor Alex (Sandy) Pentland who is a renowned computer scientist and ranks among the most influential 100 individuals worldwide (Newsweek Magazine)

Prior to joining MIT Professor Barahona served as Assistant Director for the Latin American Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development of INCAE. Also, he consulted with the World Bank on strategy development and business planning for the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor as well as on educational topics.

By the late 90s he led the research team responsible for developing the conceptual model and facilitating the reform process for all five Central American customs houses as a part of a joint action / research initiative on trade logistic for Harvards International Development Center, HBS Strategy and Competence Center, and INCAE.

Professor Barahona has consulted on organization and strategy topics for different governments and companies in various Latin American countries.

He has authored business case studies, articles, books, and book chapters on sustainable development, customs reform, trade logistic, information technologies for development, and social network analysis.

Prior to entering the academic field, he founded a software company and a business consulting firm. Currently he complements his academic activities with consulting and sitting on the board of different business firms.